In a meeting on Tuesday 23 September 2025, Powys Council's Cabinet: reviewed the Corporate and Strategic Equality Plan Scorecard, confirming that performance was progressing well; examined the Treasury Management and Capital reports for Quarter 1; received an Independent Assurance Report on Children's Services; considered the financial forecast for the year, noting a potential £2.2 million underspend; received the Regional Partnership Board annual report; reviewed the Corporate Safeguarding Board activity report; and discussed the Strategic Risk Register, noting progress against mitigating actions.

Financial Forecast

The Cabinet considered the forecast revenue budget outturn for the 2025-26 financial year, based on forecasts as of 30 June 2025. The report, presented by Councillor David Thomas, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Transformation, indicated an overall underspend of £2.2 million. However, this figure is a combination of forecast overspends in areas such as:

• Children's Services (£1.6 million)
• Highways, Transport and Recycling (£1.1 million)
• School Improvement and Learning (£0.3 million)

This is currently counter-balanced by a forecast underspend of £3.0 million in the risk budget. Councillor David Thomas advised that it was highly likely that the risk budget would have to be utilised .

The council needs to deliver £16.0 million of cost reductions in 2025-26 to achieve a balanced budget. By the end of the first quarter, 21.5% (£3.4 million) of the agreed cost reductions had been achieved. A further 63.5% (£10.2 million) were considered assured, while £2.3 million (14.5%) were described as unachieved and at risk. Services are being challenged to explain changes in savings proposals and to consider mitigating actions. Councillor Jake Berriman, Leader and Cabinet Member for People, Performance and Partnerships, reminded Cabinet Members and Heads of Service to hold regular budget review meetings.

The Cabinet:

• Noted the current budget position and the projected full-year forecast to the end of March 2026.
• Noted the grants received.
• Approved the virements (budget transfers¹) set out in the report.

Strategic Risk Register

The Cabinet considered the Strategic Risk Register report for Quarter 1. As of the end of the quarter, there were 12 non-confidential risks on the register. Strategic risk owners provided summaries of progress and assurance that mitigating actions were being implemented and monitored.

The Cabinet also noted recommendations from the Joint Scrutiny Committee meeting. The council accepted one recommendation, partially accepted two, and rejected one.

A supplementary agenda was published containing the council's responses to the scrutiny recommendations.

Key discussion points included:

• Education Risk (ED0056): The Joint Scrutiny Committee questioned the increase in the education-related risk score, which had risen from 12 to 16 following Estyn's inspection², despite mitigation actions already in place. The committee was unconvinced by the rationale behind the increase. The Cabinet agreed to review the risk score as part of the Quarter 3 strategic risk reporting process.
• Financial Sustainability Risk (FIN0001): The financial sustainability risk had decreased from 20 to 16 due to improved budget planning and a five-year financial strategy.
• WCCIS System Risk: The risk associated with the WCCIS (Welsh Community Care Information System) system had reduced from 20 to 15 due to improved system stability and ongoing data cleansing.
• Adult Social Care Risk: The adult social care risk score had significantly decreased from 25 to 9 due to increased provider capacity and service improvements.
• Climate and Nature-Related Risks: The Joint Scrutiny Committee requested further scrutiny of funding strategies and delivery timelines for climate and nature-related risks. The council is proposing that all service areas assess the impact of climate change on their risk registers. A costed route map will be shared this autumn for scrutiny review.

The Cabinet agreed to note the current Strategic Risk Register and expressed satisfaction with the progress against mitigating actions for Quarter 1.

Corporate and Strategic Equality Plan Scorecard

The Cabinet reviewed the Corporate and Strategic Equality Plan Scorecard for Quarter 1 (April to June) of 2025-2026. The scorecard tracks the council's progress towards achieving its equality objectives.

Key observations:

• Objective 1: 20 measures were on track, 8 were off track, 5 were not due to be reported in the quarter, and 1 had no date provided.
• Objective 2: 7 measures were on track, 5 were off track, and 9 were not due to be reported in the quarter.
• Objective 3: 30 measures were on track, 21 were off track, and 26 were not due to be reported in the quarter.

The Cabinet noted that mitigating actions had been implemented where measures were off track. It was also noted that the school attendance measure reflected the previous academic year, with significant improvements observed in the current year.

The Cabinet considered recommendations made by the scrutiny committees, accepting two and rejecting three with provided justifications.

The Cabinet agreed to:

• Confirm that performance is progressing well, or that mitigating actions have been identified and reflected in updates to service Integrated Business Plans.
• Confirm satisfaction that remedial actions will effectively improve performance in line with the outcomes set out in the Corporate and Strategic Equality Plan.
• Endorse the Scorecard for publication on the council's website.

Children's Services Independent Assurance Report

The Cabinet received an Independent Assurance Report on Children's Services in Powys, presented by Steve Walker, Director of Relational Children's Social Work Services. The report concluded that Powys Children's Services is a safe service with stable leadership, with no serious failings or practice issues requiring referral. Steve Walker suggested that the service had the opportunity to be ambitious and made 18 recommendations to support its future development.

The Director of Social Services and Wellbeing stated that an action plan had been developed to address the recommendations, noting that some would require joint working with partners. She thanked the Head of Children's Services and her team for their work, as well as Councillor Sandra Davies, Cabinet Member for Future Generations, the Cabinet, and the Health and Care Scrutiny Committee for their support.

Treasury Management

The Cabinet considered the Treasury Management report for Quarter 1, which outlined the council's borrowing and investment strategy. Councillor David Thomas, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Transformation, noted that the Regional Director of the Link Group had briefed councillors on treasury management the previous week, highlighting stagnant interest rates and rising inflation as substantial threats, but reassured them that the council's balance sheet was in a robust position.

Regional Partnership Board Annual Report

The Cabinet received the Regional Partnership Board (RPB) annual report and a presentation from the RPB Co-ordinator. The report detailed the RPB's activities in 2024/25, structured around three life-course partnerships: Start Well, Live Well, and Age Well. The report stated that each partnership had delivered tangible improvements in outcomes for children, adults, and older people.

Councillor James Gibson-Watt, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, requested that greater emphasis be placed on reducing the time between referral, diagnosis, and support for neurodivergent children.

Tribute was paid to Councillor Sian Cox, who was attending her last Cabinet meeting as Cabinet Member for a Caring Powys.

Other Matters

• The Cabinet considered the Corporate Safeguarding Board activity report.
• The Cabinet noted the delegated decisions taken since the last meeting.
• The Cabinet noted the forward work programme.
• The Cabinet considered a confidential report regarding key risks on the Strategic Risk Register, and noted the reasons for a change in the score for ICT0067. Councillor Jake Berriman, Leader and Cabinet Member for People, Performance and Partnerships, requested that officers review the process for notifying the Cabinet of changes to risk register scores between quarterly reports.